MaineHealth Care at Home (MSNA) Workers Ratify New Contract

PHOTO: MHCAH workers after ratifying their new contract on Dec. 23.

On December 23, 2024, members of the Maine State Nurses Association/NNU unanimously ratified a new three-year contract with Maine Health Care at Home (MHCAH) that improves wages. The unit covers MHCAH employees who provide home health, occupational therapy and hospice services in southern Maine.

The union was able to defeat the administration’s proposal to convert the majority of workers from salaried to a less advantageous hourly plan. The bargaining team also successfully pushed back on MaineHealth’s attempt to take away their paid holiday the day after Thanksgiving - a benefit that no other MaineHealth workers receive. They also negotiated pay raises to be retroactive rather than starting on Jan. 1st.

Highlights of the new contract include:

• Between 7.5% and 10.5% total wage increases year one
• 5.5% total wage increases each year in year two and three.
• A one-time lump sum bonus of $3000 for all full-time and part-time members.
• Pay increases for weekend work differential and Christmas work differential.
• Paid time for union stewards to orient new employees to the union.
• New Technology language to assure the clinicians have a voice in any new technologies.